The Secret Reason McDonald's Coke Tastes So Much Better
It's no secret that McDonald's Coke is sweeter, more refreshing, and just generally tastier than a cup of the stuff anywhere else. Which is exactly the reason customers are endlessly hypothesizing why. Finally, the explanation is no longer on the down-low.
In a recent interview with TIME Magazine, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski shared a small glimpse into the "special relationship" McDonald's has with this popular soda empire—including the specifics to why their fountain Coke tastes even better than the rest.
"One of the things that is helpful and why we have such a great-tasting Coke product is because of our volumes," says Kempczinski in his interview with TIME. "We have in the back of our restaurants these tanks that essentially allow us to have a better mixing process in our restaurants between the syrup and the carbonated water than what someone else is able to do."
According to The New York Times, McDonald's has its Coke syrup delivered in stainless steel tanks, which preserves its freshness best, while other restaurants have it delivered in plastic bags. But that's not the only reason why the fast-food giant's soda reigns supreme.
"The water and Coca-Cola syrup are pre-chilled before entering our fountain dispensers with the ratio of syrup set to allow for ice to melt," McDonald's states on its site. "We also keep our fountain beverage system cold so your drink can always be at the peak of refreshing. In order to ensure our drinks are always meeting a gold standard, we have proper filtration methods in place."
Sure, McDonald's invests big bucks into maintaining the water at a cool 33–38 degrees at all times to ensure its CO2 levels achieve the Coke's perfect carbonation. But there might be a simpler explanation as to why Mickey D's pop is bubbly and borderline addictive.
"There's also our straw—it's slightly wider than a typical straw, so all that Coke taste can hit all your tastebuds," the site explains. If you can't seem to stop sipping long after you've washed down your Happy Meal, now you know why. And if you can't separate your fingers from the salted spuds, we're sure you're wondering Why McDonald's Fries Are So Addictive, too.
For more McDonald's news, be sure to sign up for our newsletter.
